Although most of the New Forest coastline is inaccessible on foot, there is one fine section along it that you can walk: a beautiful stretch between the mouth of the Lymington River and the village of Keyhaven, continuing out to the end of Hurst Spit. This passes the Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve – superb for bird watching - and affords excellent views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. The route forms part of Hampshire’s 60-mile Solent Way, which stretches from Milford-on-Sea, just west of Keyhaven, to Emsworth Harbour in the east. As its name suggests, the Solent Way runs alongside the Solent, but not right beside the shore all the way. At Lymington it heads inland a little way, initially running parallel to the coast, and thereafter following the Beaulieu River from Buckler’s Hard up to Beaulieu and thence via Beaulieu Heath to Hythe. After crossing Southampton Water, the route continues down its eastern shore and onwards along the Solent coast.

View from Hurst SpitView from Hurst Spit (Image: Fiona Barltrop)

In the past, what is now the Nature Reserve was where salt was produced in the shallow lagoons, known as salterns. Until the end of the 18th century the area from Lymington to Hurst Spit was the site of the biggest sea salt industry in the country. Salt was made by impounding seawater in the salterns where it was left to evaporate. Wind pumps were then used to draw off the brine solution into large metal pans where it was heated until only the salt remained. The wealth that salt production generated is reflected in Lymington’s fine Georgian buildings.

Situated at the end of Hurst Spit, Hurst Castle was built by Henry VIII as one of a chain of coastal fortresses to guard the Needles Passage, the narrow western entrance to the Solent. Fort Albert on the Isle of Wight is directly opposite, under a mile away. The castle was later strengthened with the addition of the Victorian wing batteries, and in both World Wars it was fully garrisoned. The ferry runs when the castle is open (1 April to 31 October) and makes a lovely relaxing break before the return leg of the walk. You might like to walk out to the end of the Spit and take the ferry back or use it both ways. There are good views of the Needles and the western end of the Isle of Wight as you do so.

As well as the castle, there is also a lighthouse at the end of Hurst Spit. The first lighthouse here was built in 1786 by Trinity House (which looks after lighthouses, buoys and other navigational aids around the coastline). It was followed by a second taller light, the High Light, with the original renamed the Low Light. That was succeeded by other Low Lights, and in 1867 the High Light was replaced with a new one, which still functions today.

This is an easy walk on the flat, much of it along the sea wall, and there’s a lovely old pub, the Gun Inn at Keyhaven, where you can enjoy some refreshment en route.

 

The walk

1 (SZ333951) Within the car park you’ll find the Lifeboat Station and facing it the slipway. The walk goes along the sea wall from here following the Solent Way waymarks. The waymark features a tern on a green arrow. On your right you pass the Lymington Sea Water Baths, the oldest open air sea water baths in the UK, dating back to 1833. Continue along the gravel path beside marina berths to Lymington Yacht Haven boatyard. Keep ahead along the tarmac a short distance, then turn left along a signed roped path between the boat hulls. Leaving the boats, continue along a narrow path.

The path beside the entrance to Lymington RiverThe path beside the entrance to Lymington River (Image: Fiona Barltrop) 2 (SZ334944) Turn left at the junction. Before long you’ll reach a New Forest National Park sign. Continue along the sea wall path. On your right is the Normandy Marsh Nature Reserve, where salt was produced in the past. Carry on along the seaward side of Eight Acre Pond, across a sluice and alongside the Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes Nature Reserve – in the distance Hurst Point Lighthouse, and beyond it the Needles, can be seen.

The Lighthouse at the end of Hurst Spit (Image: Fiona Barltrop) 3 (SZ308916) On reaching a lane the main walk turns right. But if you want to visit the pub and/or continue out along Hurst Spit, turn left to Keyhaven, and for Hurst Spit follow the Solent Way waymarks, turning left at the car park past Keyhaven Yacht Club. Continuing on the main route from point 3, turn right and carry on along the road to a gate at its end. Pass beside this and follow the gravel track along the landward side of the nature reserve. At the end of track keep ahead along the lane to a footpath on the right soon after the lane bends left.

A ketch in an inlet along the Lymington to Keyhaven coastline (Image: Fiona Barltrop) 4 (SZ321930) Turn right along the footpath to another lane and continue on this, passing a right turn just before Oxey Barn. Carry on to the next footpath on the right, signed by a fingerpost on the left, just after a rough layby opposite. (For a detour to Chequers Inn, continue along the lane for 270 yards then retrace steps.) Turn right along the footpath to Salterns and continue on a private road to Five Acre Pond, passing Salterns Sailing Club. Ignore a turning on the right and at the T-junction turn right along Normandy Lane. Pass Normandy Farmhouse on the right and Little Normandy on the left, then turn right along a footpath. At the road turn right to Lymington Yacht Haven, then retrace initial steps.

Keyhaven harbour with the Isle of Wight beyond (Image: Fiona Barltrop) Compass Points

Start/finish: Bath Road car park, Lymington (SZ333951) - large car park at the southern end of Lymington at the entrance to the Lymington River

Map: OS Explorer OL22

Distance: 8¼ miles (13.2 km). Shorter circuits, if preferred. Pt 3 to Hurst Castle: 2⅓ miles (3.75km).

Terrain: Very easy walking entirely on the flat, much of it along the sea wall, with excellent bird watching. No stiles. Hurst Spit – shingle.

Time: 3 - 3½ hours (allow extra time for Hurst Spit)

Refreshments: Gun Inn, Keyhaven (01590 642391); Chequers Inn, Lower Woodside (01590 673415). Plenty of choice in Lymington.

Public transport: Trains and buses to Lymington. Ferry from Keyhaven to and from Hurst Castle (1 April to 31 Oct), hurstcastle.co.uk/ferry-ride/